Extent of tooth decay in the mouth and increased need for replacement of dental restorations: the New England Children's Amalgam Trial.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between baseline caries experience and the restoration replacement rate in children.


METHODS
The 5-year New England Children's Amalgam Trial recruited 534 6- to 10-year-old children with 2 or more carious posterior teeth. The association between decoy and longevity of restorations was assessed. Restorations with no follow-up (N = 391) were excluded from analysis.


RESULTS
The average follow-up was 3.0 +/- 1.6 years in 489 children. Restorations with follow-up (N = 3,604) were placed in mouths with a median of 15 dfs/DFS and 8 dft/DFT. The need for replacement increased significantly (P < or = .001) with increasing numbers of dfs/DFS and dft/DFT. After 5 years of follow-up, at least 15% of restorations in a mouth with > or = 14 dfs/DFS needed replacement, compared to 9% for 2 to 5 dfs/DFS. Comparing dft/DFT after 5 years of follow-up, there was a 23% replacement rate for > or = 12 dft/DFT compared to 10% for 2 to 3 dft/DFT. Decoy in the mouth had a greater association with the need for replacement due to new caries compared to replacement due to recurrent caries.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with more decoy at the time of restoration placement were at higher risk for replacement of restorations.
Trachtenberg
Felicia
F
New England Research Institutes, Watertown, Mass, USA. ftrachtenberg@neriscience.com
Maserejian
Nancy Nairi
NN
Tavares
Mary
M
Soncini
Jennifer Ann
JA
Hayes
Catherine
C
D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D020770:Compomers; D003188:Composite Resins; D004245:DMF Index; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003764:Dental Materials; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008281:Maine / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D020770:Compomers; D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials; D003723:Dental Amalgam